Wonderful and unusual German cargo bike.

Not strictly speaking a C&V topic, but many members seem to be familiar with and interested in more than just basic mainstream bikes, so thought this would be welcome here. This may have been an actual German Postal Service delivery bike. These photos and others were published on several international news websites and this rider and bike were seen in rural areas of the Brandenburg state during the week prior to Christmas, 2007.

Notice the drop-down front stand - with wheels mounted on the ends! I think this is a brilliant idea for a heavy (and heavily loaded) bike, great when one might want to move it around slightly while parking and very effective for holding it upright even with a large load. When not extended, the wheels are held in the upward position by a strong coiled spring attached to the right leg of the front rack.

Like Porteur or British delivery bikes from many decades ago, the front wheel is smaller than the rear to allow larger loads to be hauled up front and to lower the center of gravity of the front wheel.

Low step-through frame design... dynamo lighting... full mudguards... chainguard... and of course even a rear rack which is well integrated into the frame geometry.

If anyone is familiar with these bikes, I would Love to know if they are commercially available, and who manufactures them.

Low step-through frame design... dynamo lighting... full mudguards... chainguard... and of course even a rear rack which is well integrated into the frame geometry.

Dynamo Lighting is mandatory by Law in Germany.

Originally Posted by stronglight

If anyone is familiar with these bikes, I would Love to know if they are commercially available, and who manufactures them.

Bikes for Deutsche Post have been produced by Biria (see: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biria). Don't know, whether the most recent models are also by Biria. My own Postrad (German idiom for that type of bike) is an older one, manufactured by Vaterland.

I really like this model, too - their "Delibike". I've seen many British bicycle catalogues from the 1950s which offer similar looking bikes. A great idea and a very cool look. The tubular steel front rack is rated for 25 kilos and the basket seems to be standard equipment. The Brooks saddle is an option. Sturmey Archer 3-speed with hub brakes front and rear.

The panel below the top tube was traditionally painted with a company's name since these were designed for making home deliveries from retail shops. I would probably have it painted with... well, something... in gold script and would definitely include an e-mail address - bet it would invite a lot of interesting responses.

The huge basket should easily handle all of my shopping needs. It would definitely be an eye-turner if I parked it in front of a local Supermarket or Walmart store!